Run and Hide
by quietthinker
Summary: When Cindy becomes obsessed with her own problems, she fails to see what her friends are going through. A very short work of flash fiction.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Jimmy Neutron or any related characters.**

**Author's Note: In one of my commentaries for _Pushing Through_, I wrote that I felt as though I'd lost the ability to write chapters under 3,000 words. After reading the lovely piece of flash fiction entitled _Answer_ by Frederic Brown, I decided to see if I could still write effectively in under 1,000 words. Clocking in at 670, here is my latest oneshot.**

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Cindy Vortex was running down the halls of Retroville Middle School as fast as she could. Her breaths came hard and fast; her heart slamming again and again against her seemingly bruised chest. She needed to get away, to hide, to escape that which was chasing her.

How had it come to this? How had it all come crashing down, sending her fleeing down the halls? She cursed herself for her stupidity. As with most things, it was so obvious in retrospect. Though she wanted to do anything but, she couldn't help but remember the course of events that had sent her running as she dashed past a startled teacher.

Seeing Libby pull away had been the first, slightest clue. Cindy could now see that she had been so obsessed with her problems that she had become blind to her sister's. She remembered how shocked she had been when Libby had told her that she and Sheen had broken up. That astonishment, that utter wave of unforeseen awe across her face, had been the last straw. Libby had blown up, let loose, allowed all of her anger and frustrations to come pouring out in an instant. Cindy was a fighter, but even she had been too stunned to respond as Libby had screamed at her, had shoved her tray away and stormed out of the lunchroom, leaving Cindy alone amidst a sea of shocked and furious stares.

Cindy slammed into the bathroom door with all her might. Her terrified and swollen eyes darted around. The knowledge that she was alone proved little solace.

Cindy's shock from Libby's tirade had rapidly morphed into fury. It was Sheen's fault, of course. He had broken Libby's heart; he had made her sister lose her mind. So she'd confronted the maniacal boy, screamed in his terrified face, released all her anger in the middle of the hallway. And then, voice trembling in fear and sorrow, he'd quietly whispered that she had ended it, that it was his fault, that he had failed her. And then he had burst into tears. More angry glances cast her way.

Cindy shoved open the stall and sat on the toilet, making sure to lock the door behind her.

Then poor Carl. The one person to step out of the crowd, the one person brave enough to try and console her. How had he spotted the pain in her eyes? Why had he chosen to aid her instead of Sheen? It didn't matter. Already on the brink, Cindy had shoved him back, just to get some space. She should have known he would trip and lose his balance. The boy had landed hard on his arm, scraped his elbow, cried out in pain.

Cindy bunched her legs up and hugged them tight. She felt more tears slide down her cheeks, watched them patter onto the toilet and roll onto the floor. Did anyone know where she was? It didn't matter. The need to hide, to escape, it still overwhelmed her. She wasn't safe yet.

Then Jimmy. Normally a secret source of joy, he had turned the corner and seen all that had transpired. Eyes darting from Carl to Cindy to Sheen, taking in what lay before him with his deep eyes, analyzing it all with that which lay behind them. It hadn't taken much from him to break her, only those cerulean wonders turning to her and narrowing. That he'd immediately blamed it on her had hurt. That he'd been right was so much worse.

Cindy dug her nails into her calves and let the sobs wrack her body. She heard the bathroom door open, hesitated for just a moment, and then resumed crying. Oh, what did it matter if anyone had found her? If anyone heard her? The urge to flee and hide vanished with the familiar approaching footsteps. After all, what did it matter?

How could she hope to hide, when she was running from herself?


End file.
